LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Grammys could take a rare step into the political arena on Sunday if the Dixie Chicks win the coveted album-of-the-year award, as observers of the music industry's biggest honors are predicting.

The Texas country trio is reveling in its new outsider status after picking a fight with President George W. Bush in 2003, and watching its popularity plummet as the Republican-leaning country music establishment snubbed the chart-topping group.

The Chicks' first album since the brouhaha, "Taking the Long Way," yielded five Grammy nominations, including three for the wry single "Not Ready to Make Nice." The acclaimed album was the ninth-biggest seller in the United States last year, even if its commercial success fell short of its predecessors.

Grammy voters love underdogs and comeback stories, which could help the Dixie Chicks add to their collection of eight Grammys. But politically charged music arising from such turbulent times as Vietnam and Watergate has traditionally been ignored at awards time.

Indeed, for a liberal-leaning recording industry full of rebels and other creative misfits, there has been little acknowledgment in recent years that an unpopular conservative president is embroiled in a war that has cost the lives of more than 3,120 U.S. military personnel and over 50,000 Iraqis.

"I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

They are the only reason I don't want to watch the Grammy's this year. As always, I will TIVO it and skip over them. The Grammy's are the only people who still remember this group. They will win the award and will receive a standing overation because in Hollywoodland these bitchy millionairesses are truly seen as oppressed!

****I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."****

Excuse me Mr. Einstein how did the government whack the Dixie Cows. What happened is the people who listen to country music radio station decided they didn't not want to listen to the Dixie Cows anymore. This comment clearly demontstrates how soft, thin-skinned and shallow most leftist are.

10
posted on 02/11/2007 8:56:04 AM PST
by fkabuckeyesrule
(If a cow freezes to death does that mean we got ice cream?)

I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

Wow, I missed the "by the government" in that comment. I guess the article had two sideways "censorship" slams without actually saying the word.

I would love to have someone, anyone, show me even the lsightest, smallest, barest piece of any kind of evidence that the government was involved in the "brouhaha" that erupted after those comments were made.

Oh, I forgot, Bush and Cheney instructed JimRob to send out anti-Dixie Chicks stuff on the Official Evil Free Republic Blacklist Mailing List of Doom (which I am still not on, apparently -- what up with that?).

18
posted on 02/11/2007 9:02:07 AM PST
by Thrusher
("There is no peace without victory.")

Who are they kidding? It's Rainforests, global warming, Darfur, etc. etc. every year at the Grannies.

Their attempts to be "edgy" are as pathetic as the awards themselves. A bunch of people pretending to be hip will give a bunch of awards to a Norah Jones. Jones may be talented but it's doubtful any significant percentage of the academy voters have ever heard of her. It's a peer-pressure, keep-up-with-the-Joneses farce.

Is ANYONE interested in seeing corporate mainstream music pat itself on the back? The safe choices are front and center every year.

Finally, let's not forget that this little mutual admiration society is the lead show pony for the RIAA, whose futile attempt to sweep the technological ocean back with a broom is well-documented.

Let's see, the last time I watched the LeftGrammys, some savage with a distended belly and a bone through his nose, won the Grammy for instrumental innovation for discovering that if you stretched an animal hide over a circular tree branch and hit it with your open palm, you could make a sound.

When I think of the Grammies, I remember one thing: Brian Wilson's brilliant "Good Vibrations" was passed over for Record of the Year by "Winchester Cathedral" of all things! Clueless slobs, all of them.

"I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

I just KNEW Karl Rove was behind all those lousy concert ticket sales.

The what? The Grannies? Didn't they have something to do with those Milli Vanilli frauds? And when did the government "whack" the Ditzy Twits? What, did the Imperial GW Bush proclaim an edict against buying their music when I wasn't paying attention?

"I think people are paranoid," former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart told Reuters. "I think that if they speak out, they think they're gonna get whacked by the government. It's pretty oppressive now. Look at the Dixie Chicks. They got whacked."

The only way the left and the idiots like the chicks would turn against the islamist is if the Muslims attack the grammys or some other hollywood "pat ourselves on the back" event, and killed off some famous singers or actors.

Then, the left would pile on board asking for the complete destruction of militant Islamic countries.

The only way the left and the idiots like the chicks would turn against the islamist is if the Muslims attack the grammys or some other hollywood "pat ourselves on the back" event, and killed off some famous singers or actors.

Then, the left would pile on board asking for the complete destruction of militant Islamic countries.

I respectfully disagree. They'd blame it all on George Bush, and quadruple their lunatic rants against him.

We'd have pictures of Hollywood actors and actresses, blood and soot tastefully apply to make them appear injured but not so much as to detract from their good looks, with "Bush Causes Death of Hollywood" captions.

50
posted on 02/11/2007 10:06:17 AM PST
by Thrusher
("There is no peace without victory.")

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